Cutest Baby Raccoon Ever
By Corey • May 24, 2008 • 27 commentsOn a recent visit to the waterhole at Forest Park on a day when sunlight alternated with light rain the birding was relatively slow (meaning I only saw about ten species of wood-warbler in an hour). I was about to pack it up and head home as the sunlight-rain cycle was moving towards rain again when an odd little creature starting moving through the undergrowth towards me. It was too bulky to be a squirrel but too small to be a raccoon or an opossum. No, wait, it was a raccoon, but a very young one!
The little raccoon looked lost, but made its way with steady footsteps and did not appear to be rabid. It came closer and closer and when I moved, it came straight for me, making little whimpering noises like it was crying for its mother.
I briefly considered capturing the lost little raccoon and getting it to a wildlife rehabilitator but the raccoon made the decision for me by heading into the bushes, which was actually quite a relief as all I had to hold the raccoon in was my shirt which would have meant I would have had to walk through the park and the several blocks home with no shirt on and a raccoon wrapped in my arms like a baby.
A little later I was joined by a Forest Park regular who let me know that last year they had rescued a couple of young raccoons that didn’t look too good after they had been spotted without a parent for a couple of days, and a wildlife rehabilitator had been found that would take the raccoons, which most rehabbers won’t because of fear of rabies.
As I was leaving the park I came across the little raccoon (or another like it) again, and this time the creature came right up to me and whimpered a bunch more so I pet it on the head a couple of times (something I would not recommend anyone try) and that seemed to calm it down. It once again turned to the undergrowth and disappeared.
Hopefully the raccoon will find its mother and all will be well. But if it becomes dinner for a Red-tailed Hawk, well, that’s the way that nature works and I can live with that, I just don’t want to see it happen.
For some great raccoon pictures that Charlie took in Vancouver click here.
Tags: features, Forest Park, Mammals
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That is a cute little racoon. Good photos!
Wow . . . . I think you are 100% correct that this is the cutest baby raccoon ever! Awww
That second pic is heart-breakingly cute: “Can you give me a hug please?”
Hey All,
Sorry for the duplicate comment, but I am trying to find local birding groups in Central Park. I will be visiting the City May31st through June4th and thought it would be great to hook up with local enthuiasts!
I appreciate your thoughts!
P.S. your photos are amazing!
Stacy: You might want to try NYC Audubon…or, you could email me and let me know when exactly you want to go birding. If I can show you around the park I will. corey AT 10000birds DOT com
I have a baby ratcoon and it is so cute. Good pictures.I like the first one.
this is the cutest raccon ever but not as cute as mine were there names were sid 23 and bummble
I love baby raccoons! They are the cutest animal ever. Unfortunately, a lot of them are orphaned and die during attempts to remove adult raccoons from attics. Read more about this situation here at the raccoon attic guide and also here at the raccoon blog. This is an important matter in order to protect baby raccoons any removal methods must be done correctly.
I DO WILDLIFE REHABILITATION IN FL. AND I AGREE BABY RACCOONS ARE THE
CUTIES OF ALL WILDLIFE BABIES. THAT IS WHAT GETS THEM IN SO MUCH TROUBLE.EVERYONE LOVES THEM WHEN THEY ARE LITTLE ,BUT WHEN THEY GROW UP AND MOST PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THEM AROUND BECAUSE OF THE RABIES SCARE.
IT IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING TO TRY AND HELP AN ANIMAL IN TROUBLE BUT ALWAYS
REMEMBER THEY ARE WILD AND THEY DO NOT KNOW YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING TO HELP THEM.TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT RABIES.NOT ALL
RABIES ARE THE SAME, CALL THE CENTER FOR DECEASE CONTROL AND ASK THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED RABIES FORM A RACCOON BITE. I THINK YOU WILL BE VERY SURPRISED AT THE ANSWER YOU GET.THERE IS A GREAT INJUSTICE DONE TO THE RACCOON. THE NATIVE AMERICAN THOUGHT HIM TO BE
VERY CLEVER, ANY ANIMAL SMART ENOUGH TO WEAR A MASK MUST BE VERY
INTELLIGENT AND I AGREE. I HAVE RAISED AN REHABILITATED 100′S OF RACCOONS AND I KNOW JUST HOW VERY CLEVER THEY CAN BE.THEY ARE WONDERFUL AND I LOVE THEM DEARLY, SO IF YOU EVER ENCOUNTER AN ANIMAL
IN DISTRESS PLEASE CALL OR GO ON LINE AND FIND THE A WILDLIFE REHAB
PERSON TO HELP YOU. WE ARE HERE TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC IN THESE MATTERS
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THEY ARE NOT FUNDED IN ANY WAY BY THE STATE
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE PERMITTED THROUGH THE STATE AND YOUR HELP WILL BE VERY APPRECIATED . ALWAYS REMEMBER SAFETY IN DEALING WITH WILDLIFE
AND IF YOU ARE BITTEN IT IS A CERTAIN DEATH SENTENCE FOR THE ANIMAL YOU ARE TRYING TO HELP.
We have just found a baby Raccoon in our spare office at the back of our garage. It must have fallen through the false ceiling. We live on two acres just outside Toronto and have deer etc but this is the first time we have encountered an orphan Raccoon. What do you suggest we do. It seems the mother is not to be found.
Regards
Barry Meakings
@Barry: I would recommend trying to contact a wildlife rehabber.
me and my brother love racoons they are so cute to bad they are not safe and really agressive!!oh well there still roaming the neibor hood
raccoons are just like every other animal but some people take it to serious because raccoons are mean to be in the wild and even if you have cared for it since it was a baby it could still carry parisites and other diseases that could harm you or your family as well
that raccoon is so not cute!
That is the cutist raccoon ever!!!! I wish i could ever see one.
That raccoon is the awesomest, coolist, cuteist, raccoon i ever EVER! seen.
ITS SO CUTE
Ladybug: How can u think that raccoon was not cute
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the baby raccoon is the cutiest thing i ever saw
We are given the opportunity to get a baby racoon. A batch of them were found in a roof while a friend was reconstructing their home. There has not been a mother present for quite some time, so they have removed them. These coons are still bottle-fed also. We are considering taking in one, but I have the concern that it will not adapt to the wild when it comes time to let it go if we decide to. They are very cute, I agree. What are your thoughts, anyone?
Thanks for the input. (:
@Traci K: Bad idea.
AWWWW! So adorable! LOL!
i luv it i wan it come on! 
the baby is sssssssooooooooo ccccccuuuuuuutttttttttteeeeeeeeeeee.
i <3 baby racoons
that baby coon looks like the one I had I raised her from a baby and I kept her for about 2 years and I let her go I didnt want to but it was time I didnt want to let her go she was smart and I took her outside with me and she followed me like my dog does I miss her so
the cutiest thing ever god please save them all but just the babys